A ridge waveguide laser is a multi-layer semiconductor structure with a waveguide optical cavity. In a typical configuration, a doped semiconductor substrate is provided having a first cladding layer disposed thereon. An active region layer is disposed on the first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer is located over the active layers. The second cladding layer includes a ridge portion which protrudes above the active region and forms part of the optical cavity.
The ridge waveguide laser structures are fabricated by semiconductor processes such as photolithography and deposition into bars of layered semiconductor materials which are diced, mirror coated and mounted as individual laser devices.
The ridges of the ridge waveguide laser protrude above the surface of the substrate. During the mirror cleaving, mirror coating bar testing, dicing and mounting, the fragile ridges which form the waveguides are susceptible to damage.